Lamp-making machine



May 3, 1927. ,67

H. o. KE LLY LAMP MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12, 1923 FIGQI FIG -2 INVENTOR HARRY D. K ELL Y n I 42 AITORNEY aperture. a. i r

' A; furtlier object Of the finventionpis to i Patented May 3, 1 927. I i f a Ee' s'rAr-E LAMrcoMr n A CORPORATION OEEENNSYLVANIA A P-MAKIN MACHINE.

A pplieation filed October 12, 1923;; Serial 1%. 668,050. r it a This invention relates to lamp making machinery and more particularly to Inachines for performing the exhausting opei' ation.

An object ofthe invention is touprovide a machine wherein certain of the-flampparts may be I'QIHOVQCl from contact witha flame tube and lifting the tube from an exhausting provide a device, which will/operate to position the'leading-in wires of lani'p'away a from tipping-oft fires and subsemuently oper' ale to extract the remainiiig portion of an exhaust tube after a tipping-off operations A still further object of the invention whichinay readily be applied to as exhaustwing inachine'o t standard construction and automatically actuated to perform the respective operations in the proper sequence.

In themanufacture of incandescentelec tric lamps, it is common to employ a machine termed "a sealing-in and exhaust machine. The present invention provides mechan sm" eattachfable to the exhaust portion of the above type of machine. It is, of course, ob-

vious thatsuch mechanism may be employed with an exhausting machine irrespective of wbetliertlie sealing-in operation is combined thereto or-notj Ordinarily, after a lamp has beenasealed in, that is, the stein'portion has ,"ieen consolidated with'the/neckof a'bulb, "theexha'ust tube is inserted into an exhausttube-receiving or exhaust machine,

hilacliinesfor producing vacua in lamp bulbs are well known in the art and suchl -machines usually comprise a pump having a valve consisting of a d'isc movable upon a' nether plate and having suitably d sposed ducts in given relative positions? The ducts are connected with intermediate passages which turn afford communication to a plura'hty'of communicating passages, -the ,latterterminating in tube-supporting mem-' here or tube-supportingapertures.

The disc valve is operated to open and close the ports leading to the tube-support,

mg apertures, to successively evacuate the severalpositioned lamps. The-bulbs are usua to provide a simple and effective mechanism a a tiniefconsuming,but sEa source of considersn 3 iortin a erture of an nin -off o eration. a o

ally eirh'austedin a series of progressive exhaustin g' steps, each step effecting a certain HARRY DANIEL KELLY, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, Assieivon TO wns'rinenousndegree ofvacuuinuntil the proper evacuation has been attained.

The "tube-supporting apei'tiires are gener ally located. at the teri'nin'at' on of arms of a spider or otherjconveyorand the conveyor is proved intermittently "to position the tubes yely for the several evacuating operi. ['After a bulb has been evacuated prior to its removal from the exhaust-tube ja perture, it is positioned n a heat zone" wliicli may beflcrated by a suit-able gas -"flam'e,"at'which timethe bulb is tippedpfi to seal it! The bulb is'then guided to a suit able receptacle and the'remaining portion of tlieexhaust tube is generally extracted by a for the eXh misting, operation.

theoperator when; another lamp is applied The manual extraction o f tubes is not only able annoyanceito an operator, since the proinatically removing such tubes without loss of time and to the'advantage of the operator.

lamp tolan exhaust-tubeaperture, the conductors or leading-in ires which project frointhejlower end of thebulb become positioned substantially parallel to the exhaust tube. 1 Thus during the tipping-oil operation,

ductors is detrimental and the present invention provides means. for automatically repositioning the-wires to'remove them from the path of the flames employed for the tipj Fig. is a front view=-of the embodiment partly in section and showing a cam ariangement for operating certain of the parts;

Fig. 31s a side view of the device s milar Ordinarily, when-an -operator applies a g the fires act to heat the ,wires to a relatively high temperature. [This heatingvof the con-: i

ion I to Fig. 1 but'showingl a cam face for operatinga gripping jaw ;1 x Fig. l is a front view of the device shown ill in Fig. 3 showing a lifting cam, the cam for operating the jaws being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 5 is a view of the device taken on line V V in Fig. '3, the cover-plate being removed to show a ripping jaw;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the gripping jaw and housing, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a sealing-in and exhausting machine showing the relative positions. of the lifting and jaw-operating cams.

device embodying the present invention may comprise a spider'orconveyor-10 ,(see Fig. 7), provided wit-h a plurality of arms 11 which terminate in hubs .12 connected by reinforcing sections 13. The exhaust-tube may be supported in the usual resilient socket 14, generally consisting of asoft rubber tube. An exhaust tube 15 of a bulb 16 (see Fig.

' 1) is inserted into the socket 14, .a lubricating fluid such as castor oil being applied to the tube to more effectively seal the bulb from the atmosphere. These sockets constitute the exhaust-tube apertures.

As shown in Fig.1, when the exhaust tube 15 of the bulb orlamp 16has been inserted into an exhaust tube aperture, the leadingin wires 17 and 18 of the bulb project downwardly and usually lie in thepath of fires. when directed at the constricted portion of the tube 15 during the tipping-off operation.

For the purpose ofremoving the leadingin wires from the path of the fires, a spreader or deflector member .or plate 20 is provided and adapted to be moved upwardly to posi tion the leading-in wires substantially perpendicular to thevert-ical axis of the bulb. Owing to the flexibility of the leading-in wires, they readily take the position into which they are bent. The deflector member 20 may comprise the cover for .a housing 21 for an exha usttubegripping device which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The deflector member 20 and housing 2.1 may be mounted upon pair ofrods 22:and 23 slidable in guides 24 and 25. Theguides may be constructed as'a single casting and may be provided with projections ,26 and 27, secured to sections 113 of'thespider 10 by tap-bolts 2S and 29. The lower ends of the rods 22 and 23 mayhave secured thereto, a cross-head 31 havinga centrallydisposed guide roller 32. The roller may be held in any desired manner as by a pin 33 threadedly connected toa dependingportion 31 of the cross-head 31.

For the purpose of effecting an upward movement of the deflector 21, a box cam which may be designated as a whole by the numeral 35, is provided at a suitable point throughout the movement of the conveyor 10. Thecam:arrangementmay consist of an upper plate 36 and lower plates 37 and 38. These plates may be secured to an been broken away tomore clearly showthe cam arrangement, it being obvious, however,

that any suitable support such as a metal sheetinginay be provided and bolted to a table 12 upon which the conveyor 10 may be mounted. 'As the conveyor moves around, ,the roller 32 will traverse the guide plate 38 aud thus the deflector-member 20 will be lifted.

For the purpose of compensating for .any variation in the vertical position of the bulb, .aportion 38 of the guide plate 38 is made resilient. Thus if the distance between the lower portion of a bulb and the top of the exhaust-t-ube-aperture varies, the do flector member may make contact with the lower portion of the bulb. It will be evident, however, that by reason of the resilient portion 38",, sufficient pressure to bend the wires may be exert-ed, but not great enough to lift the exhaust tube in the aperture.

As illustrated, a hinge 4:4 is provided to connect the port-ions of the lower plate 38 and a spring secured to the rigid portion of the plate '38 is so disposed, to normally keepthe movable portion 38 in alignment with the rigid portion, thus providing what may be termed a resilient cain or guide surface. hen -the roller 32.1eaves the portion 38, the QlQflQCtOPlHGDlllBl will drop undthe roller 32 will then traverse the surface 4.6 of the plate 3.7 and as the conveyor rotates, the roller makes contact with the upper surface 47 to positively bring the deflector plate to-its lower position. 4 The support wires having been bent to position as shown in Fig.2. the hiilb may be moved to the tipping-oft position and tipping-oft fire 48 (see vT) then operates to sever the bulb, which is ejected as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. T. After the tipping-oil operation, the remaining portion 15 of the exhaust tube-is left in the cxhaust-tuhe-apertures (see Fig. 3) and projects upwardly through the'l'iousing 21 and. deflector plate 20. The housing is provided with a recess 49 (seeliig. 5) in which is disposed a lever arm 51 having one end pivoted on a pin 52 within the housing and the opposite end projecting from the housing and provided with a roller 53.

The lever arm 51 is provided with a notched portion 54 adapted to make contact with a side of the exhaust tube 15 project ing from the exhaust-tube-aperture. A movement ofthe arm 51, therefore, serves to secure an exhaust tube by compression betweenthe surface of the notch 5% and the sidei55 of the recess 49. The arm 51, however, normally n'iaintained from contact with the exhaust tube by reason of a spring ion lit)

"56 disposedin an aperture, 57 and adapted to make contactwith a flat. portion 580i the arm 51; The housing 21 is provided with clearly shown in Fig. 6. I positionedfon the underside of the plate to limit the outward movement of the arm 51. I

.After the bulb 16 has been a suitably 'positionedguide 62 having upwardly and downwardly nclined surtaces.

,The guide 62 may be supported on a plate 60, which platemay'be secured to the table" 42 in a manner similar to that shown for the box cam-35.

the rollerinto the guide 62, the arm 51 is;

Prior to the entrance of moved to grip the upwardly extending exhaust tube. I an, actuation of the arm 51: 20' i 63 positioned to make contact" with the may be effected by a resilient cam surface roller 53. The eam 63 may bemounted on ill {lamp ready/for insertion ,into the exhaust tube-aperture, the tube15" may beinserted to serve as aseal during the rotation of an upright (it-and carried on rods (35. ;'l.hc

' rods may be slidable in the upright and helical springs 66. disposed between the cam and the upright may provide the resilient action.

operated to. grip the exhaust tube, the i 'ollei' 32 enters th -guide .62'and the hoiisimrnus tube aperture and as theconveyorcontinues vto move, the housing and the arm 51 will be returned to their lower positions by .i'ea-Q son of thedownwardly inclined poi'tionot' the guide 62." The'exhaust' tube 15 then takes the position son'iewhat as shown in dotted lines in Fig.

Q It will be understood that the enhaust tube will not drop into the aperture agaim it' being necessary to force the tube into the aperture since the hole is normally of less diameterthan the diameterot' the-en haust tube. I

Although the portion 15 tube may be ejected from themachiiieauto matically, it has been -tound of advantage to leave it in the position as shown in Fig.

3, ready for removalliy the operator who may readily discard it and insert" another *tion of the arrow.X. e n

lvlien a roller 32, of tliep 'esent einbodi nent ot the invention.reaches the box cam mhaust tube in position, is that? in the event that i an operator does nothave another the machine, thus prevei'iting air from being sucked into the line. j I T v \Vhen thep resent invention is applied to a machine as diagrammatically shown in Figf'i. the bulbs are sealed to the stem of the exhaust the conveyor or spider 10.

Sealing-in and exhausting machines are so constructed that the sealing-iii heads are independently rotated and the conveyor which carries the heads and the exhaust- -,tube-receiviiig apertures is rotated intermit tipped-oli and i the conveyor moved. the roller 32 may enter I I termittently rotating the machine, Fig. 7

illustrates a Geneva drive C(JlIlPI'lSlIlg a slotted disc which may be rotatable about a vertical shaft 76 upon which the conveyor is rotated and'inay be secured to the con- T veyoizfl The Geneva driving wheel 77 may be mounted on a vertical shaft 78 and driven through a bclt'79 which maylbe connected to. any suitable source of energy, as a motor (not shown). i

By reason of the Geneva movementwhich 2 is provided with an eight slotted disc, the

conveyor may be moved intermittently through a rotarypath l'iaving eight station. ai'y stages to accommodate the eight ex- .luLllSi'tlllO aperturesprovidedin this ma chine. I

. 'As'is con'ii'noii in sealing-in and exhausting machines, the sealingin heads 68 are rotated and provided with. sheaves 81 adapted to engage with an endless belt 82, which may beled over a driving sheave. 83 mounted on a vertical. shaft 84. The shaft 8 1- may be provided with a pulley 85; connected by a belt 86 to any .suitablesource of energy (not lt'will, of course, beu'ndei'stood that the d agrammatic construction is'merely represent-ative and that more desirable forms of "construction may be had and that, the present invention is applicable to machines of more advanced design. I v

Referring to, Fig. 7; the operator may be positioned 'at A. and may remove a seal-ed lamp from one of the heads68 and insert it into1 an.exhausttube-receiving aper tui'e l-it wh1-lethe conveyor is stationary.

Suitable, mechanism" being employed to stop the rotation of ahead as, required the belt- ,79 may then be op'e 'atedto effect an intern'iitt'ent rotation of the machine, which re ins sults in the progressiveexhaustion of the lamp asthe machine revolves in the direc spread and remove the leading-in wires from i the path "(it the.fireson'iployed in the tip ping foii operation. continuedrotation oft the machine thenbrings the exhausttube of a lamp in operativerelation to thev tippingotl mechanisn'i which is indicated by the thinner 48. The roller 53 t-hen inakescontactavith the resilient cam face 63 and the roller engages with the cam 62. The port on of the exhaust tube, which remains alter the tipping-cit operation, is gripped in the notchin the jaw 51 and as the roller traverses the cam (52, the tube is lifted from the aperture and left ready for discharge by the o ierator, when another lamp is to be insorted.

It will be evident, that by reason of the present invention, the operation of exhausting lamps gree lv facilitated and that considerable 105:5 due to the burning o'lleading-in wires is obviated.

Although a preferred ei'nbodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it it to be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a machine the combination with means for supporting a bulbhaving leadingin wires projecting therefrom, a lead wire deflector member for engagin said leadingin wires and means for moving said member to bend said wires away from the axial line of said bulb.

2. 111.2111 exhausting machine tor incandescent electric lamps, the combination with means for supporting a bulb having leadinginwires projecting therefrom and means for bending said leading-in wires away from the axial line ol said bulb.

3. In an exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a conveyor having an exhaust-tube-rcceiving aperture, means adjacent said aperture {or engaging the leading-in wires of a lamp positioned in said apcrtijn'e and positioning the wires away from said exhaust tube and means tor automatically actuating said engaging means.

4-. 1n an exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a conveyor having an eXhaust-tube-rece'ving aperture, a deflector plate mo *able adjacent to said aperture to engage leading-in wires of a lamp supported in said aperture and means to' autou'iaticallv actuating said deflector plate during the movement of said conveyor.

In an exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a conveyor having oxhaust-tube-receiving apertures, deflector plates disposed in operative relation with sa id apertures and movable to engage with and sp ead leadingin wires projecting from bulbs supported in said apertures and means for automatically actuating said deflector plates.

(3. In an exhausting machine tor incandescent electric lamps, the combination with a conveyor having exhaust-tube-receiving apertures, deflector plates disposed above said apertures, a passageway in said deflector plates for the insertion of an exhaust-tube tor plates to position leading-111 wires of said bulb out of a given iath.

T. in exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having apertures to receive the exhaust tube of a lamp bulb, means t'or intermittently rotatin g the conveyor, a member movable about s::id ex! airt tube for cngl'aging the leadingin wires of said bulb and means adjacent said conveyor for operating said member during movement of said conveyor to move said leading-in wires to a predetermined positicn.

b. An exnausting machine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having exhaust-tube-receiving apertures, means tor gripping exhaust tubes disposed in said apertures and means for causing the gripping means to litt said exhaust tubes trom said apertures.

5). in exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having exhaiist-tuliie-receiving apertures, a reciprccable member having jaws tor gripping an exaaust tube disposed in one of said apertures, n'icans for actuating said jaws to grip said tube. means tor raising saidinemher and means for causing the jawsto release the tube.

1.0. An exhausting ma hine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having eXlraust-tube-receiving apertures, a vertically reciprocable member, means associated with said member adapted to grip an exhaust tube disposed in said aperture means tor lifting said member to remove an exhaust tube from said aperture and n'reans for causing the jaws to release the tube.

11. An exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having exhaust-tube-receiving apertures, a movable member having means adapted to grip an exhaust tube disposed in one of said apertures, means for rotating said conveyor and an inclined track adjacent said conveyor for elt'ecting a movement ot said member to lift an exhaust tube from said aperture.

152. An exhausting machine for incandescent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having exhaust-tube-receiving apertures, a movable n'iember, means associated with said member adapted to grip an exhaust tube when said tube is disposed in one of said apertures. means tor rotating said conveyor, means adjacent said conveyor for efiecting a reciprocation of said member to lift an exhaust tube from saic aperture and return said member to its normal. position and means for causing the jaws to release the tube.

13. An exhausting machine for incandes- 7 moving said member into contact withsaid cent electric lamps comprising a conveyor having exhaust-tube apertures, a movable tube during a movement of said conveyor 14. Anexhausting machine cent electrlc'lamps comprising a conveyor,

and means for moving said member to lift saldtube from the aperture. e I

for incandes having exhaust tube apertures, a movable member, means associated with said member adapted to grip an exhaust tube when sa d tube is dlsposed in one of said apertures,

means for rotating said conveyor,a resilient cam surface forengaging and moving said member into contact with said tubeduring amovement" of said conveyor, means for moving said member to lift saidytube from Q the aperture and means for causing the jaws to'release the tube.

15. A lamp-making machine comprismg a conveyor having a plurality of exhausttube-receiving apertures, a deflector plate adapted to be moved to andfrom an aperture to, engage leading-in wires of a lamp positioned with an exhaust tube thereof 111* said aperture, a tube gripping member-assoelated-with said deflector plate and means for successively actuating said deflector plate and said tube gripping means. I

cent electric lamps comprising means for supporting a lamp bulb by the exhaust tube thereof, a deflectorplate movable about the .16. An exhausting-machine for incandesa exhaust tube and adapted to engage'with the leading-inwiresof said bulb, a cam sur face adapted to cooperate Withsaid "defied,

tor plate to move the latter to bend said 1 leadingin wires and a yieldable portion associated with said cam to permit contact between said deflector'plate and said bulb Without effecting a movement of said bulb.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of Octo ber, 1923. g

HARRY DANIE KELLY. 

